BD garment owners get 7 months to demolish unplanned building

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today gave Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) seven months more time to demolish its headquarters at capital’s Hatirjheel.

A five-member apex court bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah passed the order, giving time to the apex body of RMG producers’ for the “last time”.

The Appellate Division came up with the order after holding hearing on a plea of BGMEA, seeking one year more time to demolish the building.

On March 5, BGMEA lost its last legal battle to keep its structure intact on the scenic water body as the Appellate Division rejected its plea, seeking review of its judgment that upheld an earlier High Court verdict, ordering demolition of the structure.

On that day, the Appellate Division described the structure as “cancer” which stands in Hatirjheel Lake.

On March 12, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court granted BGMEA six months to demolish its complex, rejecting a plea of the RMG producers’ seeking three years time.

That six-month time ended on September 12, and the new seven-month time, which was allocated today, will be counted from that day, said a BGMEA lawyer.

In 2011, the High Court gave order for demolition of the 16-storey building as it was constructed in defiance of relevant laws.

BGMEA later filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division against the High Court judgment, but the apex court on June 2, 2016, dismissed the plea as well as asked the RMG producers to demolish its headquarters at once and at its own cost.